Section 2 Safety, Tools and Equipment, Shop Practices

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Section 2 Safety, Tools and Equipment, Shop
Practices Unit 5Tools and Equipment
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Unit Objectives

• Describe hand tools used by the air conditioning,
  heating, and refrigeration technician.
• Describe equipment used to install air
  conditioning, heating, and refrigeration systems.

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General Hand Tools (1 of 6)

• Screwdrivers

• Straight-slot screwdrivers turn screws with
  straight slots.

• Phillips head screwdrivers turn screws with
  slots resembling a cross.

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General Hand Tools (2 of 6)

• Wrenches
• Common types of wrenches include the open end
  wrench, the box wrench, and the combination
  wrench.

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General Hand Tools (3 of 6)
Other wrenches include pipe wrenches and
adjustable wrenches.

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General Hand Tools (4 of 6)

• Hex keys
• Used to turn screws and set screws that have
  female hex heads
• Also referred to as Allen wrenches

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Pliers
General Hand Tools (5 of 6)

• Types of pliers include

Needlenose
Pump pliers
Locking pliers
Slip joint pliers
Linesman
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General Hand Tools (6 of 6)

• Hammers
• Commonly used hammers include

Always be careful when using hammers!

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Specialized Hand Tools

• Stock and dies
• The die is used to cut threads on the external
  surface of piping material.
• The die fits and locks into the stock during the
  threading process.
• The stock is used to facilitate the threading
  process.

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Electric Drills

• Can be corded or battery operated
• Some drills variable speed
• Some types reversible
• Always disconnect power cord (corded drills) when
  changing the drill bit.

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Specialized Tools (1 of 4)

• Nut drivers

• Used to drive hex head screws
• Have a socket head
• Come in a variety of styles

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Specialized Tools (2 of 4)

• Refrigeration service wrench
• Ratcheting wrench used to turn square stems on
  fuel tanks, service valves, and other system
  components
• Can be used on four different stem sizes

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Specialized Tools (3 of 4)

• Crimping tool
• Cuts Wire
• Strips wire
• Crimps solderless connectors onto wires
• Cuts small bolts

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Specialized Tools (4 of 4)

• Inspection mirror
• Telescopic mirror used to inspect solder joints
  for leaks

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Tubing Tools (1 of 4)

• Tubing cutter
• Available in different sizes and styles
• Used to cut copper and aluminum tubing and piping
  materials

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Tubing Tools (2 of 4)

• The flaring block and yoke are used to create
  flares in soft drawn tubing.

Before the flare

After the flare
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Tubing Tools (3 of 4)

• Swaging tools
• Used to expand the end of a tube so that two
  sections of the same size tubing can be joined
• Used in conjunction with a flaring block

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Tubing Tools (4 of 4)

• Tubing benders
• Can be spring type or lever type
• Used to bend soft copper or aluminum tubing

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Specialized Service Tools (1 of 5)

• The gage manifold
• One of the HVAC/R technicians most important
  pieces of equipment
• Can read pressures on both the high- and
  low-pressure sides of the system
• Can read pressures below atmospheric on the
  low-pressure side of the system
• Can be of the two-valve or four-valve variety

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LOW SIDE GAUGE
HIGH SIDE GAUGE
HIGH SIDE VALVE
LOW SIDE VALVE
MANIFOLD
LOW SIDE HOSE
HIGH SIDE HOSE
CENTER HOSE
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Specialized Service Tools (2 of 5)

• The U-tube manometer
• Can be the mercury or water variety
• Can measure low pressures in inches of water
  column or millimeters of mercury
• The liquid level rises on one side and falls on
  the other.
• The difference between the two liquid levels is
  the pressure reading.

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Open to atmosphere
To a natural gas valve, for example
1.75
0
1.75
The pressure reading on this manometer is 3.5
inches of water column.
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Specialized Service Tools (3 of 5)

• Electronic vacuum gage
• Measures the vacuum in a refrigeration system
  during the evacuation process
• Can measure a vacuum down to 50 microns or 0.050
  mm Hg
• 1,000 microns 1 mm Hg
• As a vacuum is pulled on a system the micron
  level will drop.

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Specialized Service Tools (4 of 5)

• Electronic vacuum gage

Power indicator
Very poor vacuum
Fair vacuum
Good vacuum
Cap
Hose from vacuum pump
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Specialized Service Tools (5 of 5)

• Vacuum pump
• Designed to remove air and noncondensable gases
  from an air-conditioning or refrigeration system

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Refrigerant Leak Detectors (1 of 2)

• Halide leak detector
• It is used with acetylene, propane, or MAPP gas.
• When ignited, the flame heats a copper disc.
• Combustion air is drawn through a tube.
• The open end of the tube is passed over fitting
  or piping.
• When a leak is detected, the flame will change
  color (from blue to green).

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Refrigerant Leak Detectors (2 of 2)

• When a leak is detected, the flame color changes.

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Other Refrigerant Leak Detectors

• Electronic leak detectors
• Contain refrigerant-sensitive elements
• Reacts to leaks with rapid beeping
• Ultraviolet leak detectors
• UV additive introduced to the system
• Pipes will glow at the point of the leak
• Ultrasonic leak detectors
• Detect the sound of escaping refrigerant

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The Clamp-on Ammeter (1 of 2)

• It is used to measure current flow in an electric
  circuit.
• The jaws of the meter are clamped around one
  conductor of the circuit.
• The meter can also be used to measure voltage and
  resistance.

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Volt-ohm-milliammeter (VOM)

• Often referred to as a multimeter
• Measures volts, ohms, and amps
• Can be analog or digital styles
• Come with a number of features, options, and
  accessories

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Unit Summary

• Air conditioning, heating, and refrigeration
  technicians should be familiar with available
  hand tools and equipment.
• Always use tools and equipment properly.
• Only use tools for the jobs for which they were
  intended.
• Improper tool usage can result in personal injury.